Video architecture and methodology for family of related games

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to video games, their design, architecture, methodology, and more particularly to an architecture and methodology for providing interchangeable reward provision. The present invention provides for a nucleus of game application core and fixed image database and sound database, which are utilized in conjunction with interchangeable linked image databases including visual and sound, so as to permit a single video game design effort to have multiple lives and additional revenues.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from the Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/443,729, filed: Jan. 30, 2004.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to video games, their design, architecture,methodology, and more particularly to an architecture and methodologyfor providing interchangeable reward provision.

In the past, each new video game system design required a total rewriteof a new game. Thus, each new video game provided, such as football gen1, football gen 2, etc. would have a new game logic design put together,comprising application program, and imagery and sound created for thatgame. As the cost of developing video games has gone up from tens ofthousands to millions of dollars per game, the risk of a bad game ismore than nominal, it can be devastating. Thus, anything that can bedone to spread the game development cost over future designs would bevery beneficial. In addition, anything to increase revenues for aparticular game further reduces the risk.

In the past, there have been the abilities to change players on teams,so that you can choose from predefined settings. Most recently, you canadd characters to be interchanged as players, so that you can choose thefootball or baseball team. This is consistent with the teachings ofpresent applicant's earlier issued patents, including the U.S. Pat. No.4,521,014; U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,864; U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,065; and U.S.Pat. No. 6,425,825 patents.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a nucleusof game application core and fixed image database and sound database,which are utilized in conjunction with interchangeable linked imagedatabases including visual and sound, so as to permit a single videogame design effort to have multiple lives and additional revenues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a video gamearchitecture, system and methodology are provided wherein a core gameapplication logic provides video game logic and a predefined set ofvisual and audio imagery and a fixed database image-mapper for providingcontrol for managing and selecting video and audio imagery from acombination of a core image database comprising a fixed portion (CIDF)and a variable portion (CIDV) which together form the completeaudio/visual presentation associated with the video game, movie, orother interactive entertainment.

Additionally, a linked image database (LID), or a plurality of imagelinked databases provide the variable audio and visual images in thelinked video game operation, permitting update of reward content andaudio/visual content otherwise associated with the video game to bereplaced, while retaining the core video game rules and identifiablelogic, and perhaps a portion of the original audio/visual imagery, thatportion being variable from minimal to a considerable amount dependingon the designer's choices.

Thus, music videos, movie trailers, even television commercials that aremusic video advertisements, can all be linked and updated into the videogame. Each time a new video game in a new packaging can be sold as aseparate new video game comprising the core game application software(CGS), including the image-mapper (IM), the core image database (CID)comprising the core image database fixed portion (CIDF) and the coreimage database variable portion (CIDV). The CGS and CID are provided incommon on all of the game family members sharing the common identity,and each separate CD or video game package provides the linked imagedatabases and the linked databases index needed to provide an integratedvideo game system. As used herein, video game system is not limited to,and extends to all formats of home entertainment including home videogame systems such as the SONY Playstation, Nintendo Cube, or MicrosoftXbox, and further includes use of CDs and DVDs in personal computersrunning any operating system (including Windows, LINUX, MacIntosh, orother computer operating system) Web-TV, etc. The linked image databases(LID) can be provided via flashRAM, ROM, CDROM, DVD, hard disk, providedresponsive to user generation, via online download, etc.

The linked image databases (LID) and the linked database index (LDI) areutilized by the image-mapper to integrate a combination of the coreimage database and the linked image database or databases into the coregame application software to provide the video/audiovisual entertainmentproduct. For example, the linked image database can be music videos andeach separate database can represent a genre such as rap, classic rock,60's pop, 70's pop, 80's pop. Or, it can be comprised of movie trailersfor various types of movies including action, romance, chick-flicks,guy-flicks, etc. Or, it can be comprised of specialty videos, such ascooking, karaoke, dance, etc. Additionally, utilizing audio-visual worksproduced by businesses as advertisements can be provided such thatSuperbowl ads and Academy Award television advertisements can beutilized to segue way between elements of the game, and generateadditional source of revenue for the game manufacturer. Thus, a commonsingle development of a core game application software product and coreimage database, with associated image-mapper, and CID fixed and CIDvariable portions, can be re-utilized to create a family ofentertainment products, such as video games, utilizing a common identityCGS and CID, but with each member of the family utilizing a differentset of linked image database and linked database index therefor.

The linked database index for each of the linked image databases ispreferably loaded into local RAM memory of the computing systemprocessing and running the video game, but can also utilize remoteindexes as appropriate, such as where online linkage is provided for thevideo game system to provide for online updates of linked imagedatabases and linked database indexes associated therewith, to providefor easier updates. Accounting can be provided to charge the user, suchas directly to a charge card (e.g. Visa, Master Card, American Express,Discover) which also permits updates of advertising LIDs. Thus, theaudio-visual imagery and rewards change within a family, but the basicgame rules and game play stays consistent within the family. Thus, allthe benefits of learning and mastering a game and going to higher levelsare maintained, and the user continues to benefit from their experiencelevel. Secondly, since during the play of the game you often have torepeat the lower levels, it adds a whole new level of interest to thegame to be able to be provided with new audio-visual imagery forproviding the same winning moves, creating a whole new experience inplaying that game. This can be done with different types of audio-visualgame imagery, or can be provided with other types of audio-visualimagery as a reward, such as music or dance videos, exercise videos,movie trailers, any sort of audio-visual presentation, so forth.

In one preferred embodiment, the video game is provided in a musicalenvironment, and the LID and LDI are provided as music videos, movietrailers, ads, and interactive performance of a user-created musiccomposition by a “star” or “stars”, musical group. This could beespecially beneficial as a reward system in a video game based musiceducation and training system and methodology. In this embodiment, theelements already present in the video game system, such as aPlaystation, etc., are utilized as the processing system, user interfaceand display generation system. Specific core game application softwareis written for the target genre of game, such as musical education,role-playing game, action game, mystery, etc. As a part of the core gameapplication software logic and development, image-mapper logic isprovided which defines specific locations in the core game applicationsoftware utilizing image database content. The image-mapper controls theselection process from the core image database, either fixed or variableportion, as well as to the linked image database or databases via thelinked database indexes associated with each of the linked imagedatabases. Control logic provided by the image-mapper software managesindexing and accessing images as necessary to provide the audio/visualimagery and rewards for each unique member of the family.

In one embodiment, the image-mapper provides the linked database index(LDI) as a pointer to the proper location in the linked image database(LID) from the appropriate respective location in the CIDF or CIDV.Variables within the linked image database are logically indexed in thelinked database index according to assignment to variable names, and thepointer in the core image database provides as its variable data thevariable name to point to the entry in the linked database index. Thelinked database index provides a mapping from the variable name to thespecific location of the associated audio and visual images needed toprovide the necessary audio/visual content to the image-mapper tointegrate into the generation of the video game or other entertainmentsystem presentation output.

A video game system provides a display presentation for a video game.The system is comprised of core game application logic, a core imagedatabase, and an image-mapper. The core game application logic providesvideo game logic and respective display presentation therefor asassociated with the video game, The core image database comprises a coreset of video image data and audio image data in a structure comprising acore image database fixed portion (CIDF) and a core image databasevariable portion (CIDV). The image-mapper provides control for managingand selecting of video image data and audio image data from acombination of the core image database fixed portion (CIDF) and the coreimage database variable portion (CIDV), to provide all content needed toprovide the display presentation, responsive to the core gameapplication logic. In one embodiment, a fixed database is providedcomprising a pre-defined set of video image data and audio image data.In this embodiment, the image-mapper provides control for managing andselecting of video image data and audio image data from a combination ofthe fixed database and the core image database, to provide all contentneeded to provide the display presentation, responsive to the core gameapplication logic.

In a preferred embodiment, the system is further comprised of a linkedimage database (LID), providing variable audio image data and variablevideo image data. The image mapper provides for replacement of the videoimage data and audio image data from the combination of the fixeddatabase and the core image database, as otherwise associated with thevideo game, with variable audio image data and variable video image datafrom the linked image database, while retaining the video game logictherefore as associated with the video game. In one embodiment, thesystem is further characterized in that said linked image database (LID)has an associated linked databases index utilized by the image-mapper tointegrate a combination of the core image database and the linked imagedatabase product. In a preferred embodiment, there are a plurality oflinked image databases (LID) wherein each of said linked image database(LID) has an associated linked databases index utilized by theimage-mapper to integrate a combination of the core image database andthe linked image database product to provide an integrated video gamewith an associated integrated display presentation. To facilitate familyor genre core game design, the linked image database and the MappingIndex (or the linked database index or the CID Index) for each videogame is provided as stored content separate from the core imagedatabase. The stored content is preferably provided on a non-volatilestorage medium, such as semiconductor memory (e.g. EEPROM, EPROM, FlashRam, CD-Rom, DVD, hard disk, etc.).

In a preferred embodiment, the linked image databases (LID) and thelinked database index (LDI) (or other Mapping Index) are utilized by theimage-mapper to integrate a combination of the core image database andthe linked image database product to create the display presentationuniquely for each of the combinations. The linked image database can berepresentative of music videos, movie trailers, specialty videos, isrepresentative of advertisements utilized to transition between activeplay segments of the display presentation for the video game, and soforth.

In a preferred embodiment, a Mapping Index defines the mapping of theLinked Image Database (LID) into the core image database variableportion (CIDV). In one embodiment, the Linked Image Database (LID) iscoupled to the system via online linkage to provide for onlineintegration and mapping of the Linked Image Database (LID) into the coreimage database variable portion (CIDV) responsive to the Mapping Index.The core application logic selectively updates via the online linkagesubstituting the core image database variable portion (CIDV) with theLinked Image Database (LID) responsive to the Mapping Index.Alternatively or additionally, the core application logic selectivelyupdates via the online linkage substituting the core image databasevariable portion (CIDV) with the Linked Image Database (LID) responsiveto the Mapping Index.

Since the family of games reutilizes a core portion of logic andaudiovisual content, the basic game rules and game play stays consistentfor all games within the same family of games, with only the displaypresentation changing, responsive to the integrating of the audio and/orvideo content from the Linked Image Database (LID.

The change in the display presentation provides at least one of newaudio, video and audiovisual content in the display presentationresponsive to the substituting and to the core game logic. The newaudio, video and audiovisual content in the display presentation is atleast one of a reward, an advertisement, a substitute character,additional scenery, weapons, clothing, and vehicles. The new audio,video and audiovisual content in the display presentation is at leastone of additional video imagery, additional audio content, andadditional audiovisual content. In a preferred embodiment, the reward isat least one music, music video, dance video, exercise video, movietrailers, animated short, an interactive performance of a user inputbased music composition performance, and a change of at least one colorin the display presentation of the video game. In one embodiment, theinteractive performance is of a user-created music composition isprovided by at least one third party performer (e.g. recording star orstars, movie stars, etc.). In an alternate embodiment, the reward isutilized to facilitate music education.

In a preferred embodiment, the video image data and audio image data aregrouped into one of game play content and reward content. The displaypresentation is provided responsive to at least one of the game playcontent and the reward content.

In one embodiment, the display presentation is provided responsive tothe game play content (e.g. non-reward content) until a reward thresholdis reached, and the display presentation is provided responsive to thereward content for a defined period of time responsive to the rewardthreshold being reached. The reward content can be comprised one or moreof music videos, movie trailers, television commercials, an audiovisualpresentation, and audio presentation, and a change in game playappearance.

The linked image database can be selected from among a family of aplurality of interchangeable linked image databases to provide aplurality of video games all with a common family core game operabilityand identity and each with a different appearance in the displaypresentation responsive to the linked image database.

The linked image database is utilized to change the underlyingaudiovisual imagery associated with normal game play that would occurabsent the content of the linked image database. The linked imagedatabase can provide additional said content beyond the contentassociated with regular game play, or substitute content for thatotherwise associated with game play, or additional content notassociated with game play.

Thus, the linked image database can be associated with a reward beyondthe normal audiovisual game imagery. In a preferred embodiment, the coreimage database variable portion (CIDV) is associated with a rewardbeyond the normal audiovisual game imagery.

The display presentation is comprised of a game portion associated withnormal audiovisual game imagery and a reward portion associated with areward beyond the normal audiovisual game imagery. Integration of saidlinked image database (LID) into the display presentation creates anassociated new appearance video game responsive to the video game logicof the core game application logic.

In a preferred embodiment, there are a plurality of separate ones ofsaid linked image database each structured for integration of any one ofthe plurality of said linked image databases (LID) into the displaypresentation a video game consistently responsive to the video gamelogic of the core game application logic for each of the plurality ofsaid linked image databases (LID) and wherein each of said plurality ofsaid linked image databases (LID) creates an associated new appearanceto the display presentation of the video game responsive to the coregame application logic. In one embodiment, the core game applicationlogic is utilized to support a common identity game structure supportiveof a common single development environment utilizing a core gameapplication software with the image-mapper and the core image databasefixed portion (CIDF), utilized in conjunction with the core imagedatabase variable portion (CIDV) to provide all content needed toprovide the display presentation. The core image database variableportion (CIDV) provides a CIDV Index defining the mapping into coreimage database variable portion (CIDV) to provide for integration of aLinked Image Database (LID) providing LID video image data and LID audioimage data utilized in creating a reusable video game core. Where thereare a plurality of the Linked Image Databases (LIDs), the systemprovides for a family of a plurality of video game entertainmentproducts, each of the plurality utilizing the common identity gamestructure supportive of a common single development environment witheach of the plurality utilizing a different one of the plurality of theLinked Image Databases (LIDs) responsive to the CIDV Index.

The core system comprised of core game application logic, a core imagedatabase, and an image-mapper is in one embodiment further comprised ofa Linked Image Database (LID) providing LID video image data and LIDaudio image data, wherein the core game application logic is utilized tosupport a common identity game structure supportive of a common singledevelopment environment utilizing a core game application software withthe image-mapper and the core image database fixed portion (CIDF),utilized in conjunction with the core image database variable portion(CIDV) to provide all content needed to provide the displaypresentation. The Linked Image Database (LID) provides a LIDV Indexdefining the mapping of the Linked Image Database (LID) into the coreimage database variable portion (CIDV) to provide all content needed toprovide the display presentation. Where there are a plurality of theLinked Image Databases (LIDs), the system provides for providing afamily of a plurality of video game entertainment products, each of theplurality utilizing the common identity game structure supportive of acommon single development environment with each of the pluralityutilizing a different one of the plurality of the Linked Image Databases(LIDs) responsive to the LIDV Index.

The video game system has a processing system including local memory(e.g. personal computer, game console (e.g. Sony Playstation, NintendoGame Cube, Microsoft X-box, Nintendo Game-Boy), wherein the LIDV Indexfor the Linked Image Database (LID) is loaded into the local memory ofthe system to facilitate selective mapping the Linked Image Database(LID) into the core image database variable portion (CIDV) as needed toprovide content needed to provide the display presentation.

The core system comprised of core game application logic, a core imagedatabase, and an image-mapper is in one embodiment further comprised ofa Linked Image Database (LID) providing LID video image data and LIDaudio image data. The core game application logic is utilized to supporta common identity game structure supportive of a common singledevelopment environment utilizing a core game application software withthe image-mapper and the core image database fixed portion (CIDF),utilized in conjunction with the core image database variable portion(CIDV) to provide all content needed to provide the displaypresentation. An external source (or the CID or LID or core applicationlogic) can provide a Mapping Index defining the mapping of the LinkedImage Database (LID) into the core image database variable portion(CIDV) to provide all content needed to provide the displaypresentation.

In one embodiment, the core application logic is comprised of core gameapplication software structured for a target genre of video game. Thetarget genre can be one or more of musical education, role-playing game,action game, mystery, war-game, dance game, sports game, and simulatorgame.

In a preferred embodiment, the core game application software iscomprised of image-mapper logic. The image-mapper controls the selectionprocess from the core image database fixed portion (CIDF), the coreimage database variable portion (CIDV) and the Linked Image Database(LID) to provide all content needed to provide the display presentation.A Mapping Index defines the mapping of the Linked Image Database (LID)into the core image database variable portion (CIDV), wherein theimage-mapper logic is responsive to the Mapping Index. In oneembodiment, the image-mapper logic provides for managing, indexing andaccessing content from at least one of the core image database fixedportion (CIDF), the core image database variable portion (CIDV) and theLinked Image Database (LID) to provide all content needed to provide thedisplay presentation. In one embodiment, the image-mapper logic providesa pointer to a proper location in the Linked Image Database (LID) from arespective location in at least one of the core image database fixedportion (CIDF), the core image database variable portion (CIDV)responsive to the Mapping Index. In one embodiment, the Mapping Index isprovided by the Linked Image Database (LID), wherein LID variables eachhaving a LID variable name are provided within the Linked Image Database(LID) and are logically indexed in the Mapping Index according to theLID variable names, wherein a pointer in the core image database (CID)provides a CID variable name to point to a respective one of the LIDvariable names in the Mapping Index. In this embodiment, the MappingIndex provides for a mapping from the CID variable name to therespective one of the LID variable names to provide for selectivelyobtaining audio, video and audiovisual content from the Linked ImageDatabase (LID) for use by the image-mapper logic for integration and usein providing the presentation output.

In accordance with the present invention, there is also taught a methodfor providing a display presentation for a family of interrelated videogames. The method comprises providing video game logic and a respectivedisplay presentation therefore as associated with the video game,providing a core image database comprising a core set of video imagedata and audio image data in a structure comprising a core imagedatabase fixed portion (CIDF) and a core image database variable portion(CIDV); and, providing image-mapper control for managing and selectingof video imager data and audio imager data from a combination of thecore image database fixed portion (CIDF) and the core image databasevariable portion (CIDV), to provide all content needed to provide thedisplay presentation, responsive to the video game logic. In a preferredembodiment the method is further comprised of providing a linked imagedatabase (LID), comprising variable audio image data and variable videoimage data. The image mapper control provides for replacement of thevideo image data and audio image data from the combination of the fixeddatabase and the core image database, as otherwise associated with thevideo game, with variable audio image data and variable video image datafrom the linked image database, while retaining the video game logictherefore as associated with the video game. In accordance with oneaspect of the present invention, said linked image database (LID) has anassociated linked databases index utilized by the image-mapper tointegrate a combination of the core image database and the linked imagedatabase product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1A, a system block diagram of the physical hardwarerequired to implement one embodiment of the present invention areillustrated. A processor (101) is coupled to user input (110) viaconnection (111), a physical storage (120) via coupling (102),communications interface logic and gateway (130) coupled via coupling(103), and coupled to the Internet through coupling (131) and to aremote server through coupling (132). The display (140), comprisingvideo and audio components, are illustrated coupled to the processor(101) via coupling (104). The processor (101) executes the core gameapplication software and associated image mapping logic, as well asresponsive to control logic stored in the physical storage, as well asproviding for audio and visual imagery within the presentation on thedisplay (140) by means of integrating image data from the physicalstorage (120) and/or via the communications interface in gateway (130),such as via the Internet or from a remote server.

Referring to FIG. 1B, the logical structuring, architecture and dataflow are illustrated with reference to the physical system block diagramof FIG. 1A. The processor (101) is coupled to the storage (120) both foraccess to computer core game application software as well as for thevarious image software data needed to construct the various audio andvisual images that go along with the application software logic andcontrol. As shown in FIG. 1B, the storage (120) via coupling (102)couples to the processor (101) and provides coupling to the core gamesoftware (125), the image mapping logic (126), and variable memory(127), as well as providing access, control and management of the coreimage database fixed portion (121) and core image database variableportion (122), and to the linked information database (123) and linkeddatabase index (124). The processor (101) communicates via coupling(102) with the core game application software (125) and associatedimage-mapper logic (126) and responsive thereto accesses the variablememory (127) and causes the processor to access the core image databasefixed, (121), core image database variable, (122) and linked imagedatabase (123) in association with the linked database index (124) toprovide for compositing of an integrated video game. The linkedinformation database (123) and linked database index (124) can beinterchanged for different sets of LID (123) and LDI (124) so as toprovide a family of games sharing a common core and nucleus of bothtechnology hardware and software as well as operational logic and gameplay. In one embodiment, the core image database variable (122) andlinked image database (123) are loaded into local memory of the systemresponsive processor control signals (105) (CIDV load) and (106) (LIDload). The loading of the linked image database also loads the linkeddatabase index which can be utilized in combination with the LID toprovide quick mapped access to particular image variables defined by thecore family logic, especially the CGS (125), IM (126) and variablememory (127) utilized thereby.

Referring to FIG. 1C, there is illustrated an alternate embodiment ofthe physical/logical operation of the systems of FIGS. 1A and 1B. In theillustrated embodiment of FIG. 1C, the processor (101), responsive tothe user input (110) and through coupling (111), accesses the storage(120) via coupling (102), and responsive to the CGS (125), image-mapper(126), and variable RAM (127), in conjunction with the core imagedatabase fixed (121) and core image database variable (122) and linkedimage database (123), provides a video game for play by the user andprovides an output video display (141) and audio display (142)responsive thereto. The user input (110) can be a keyboard, mouse,joystick, or any other user input device permitting users to providecontrol signals to the processor (101). The communications interface(130/131) provides coupling to the Internet by the processor for loadingdata to the processor to be utilized in loading into the various layersof storage (120) including CIDV (122) and LID (123). As illustrated inFIG. 1C, a reward signal output (107) from processor (101) is coupled toan address decoder (129) which responsive thereto causes addressing andread signals to be sent to the respective image database (CIDV 122, CIDF121, or LID 123). Signals to the LID (123) are first coupled into theLDI (124) for variable to physical address mapping to provide an outputfrom LID (123) of LID data which couples back to the processor (101).Alternatively, where the address decoder (129) determines that the audioand/or visual imagery needed is in the core image database, itappropriately selects and causes output from CIDF (121) or CIDV (122).

Referring to FIG. 1D, an alternative embodiment of FIG. 1C isillustrated, wherein the LDI (124) and LID (123) are integrated into theCIDV (122) logic to provide a combined integrated output. As illustratedin FIG. 1D, the address decoder (129) output is coupled to either theCIDF (121) or to the combined CIDV/LDI/LID (122, 124 and 123respectively). Responsive to the signal from the address decoder (129),the appropriate CIDF data or CIDV/LID data is output for coupling to theprocessor (101) for utilization in generating the audio visualpresentation output on the visual display (141) and the audio display(142). In a preferred embodiment, the CIDV image database is utilized asa default when there is not LDI/LID database. Alternatively, variableLID/LDI databases can be utilized with every game in the family.

Referring to FIG. 1E, an alternative embodiment to FIGS. 1C and D areillustrated, wherein the architecture is slightly altered. The outputreward (107) from the processor (101) is coupled directly to the linkedimage database (123), which is coupled to provide a linked databaseindex to the address decoder (129B), which provides a respective outputto one of the core image database fixed (121) or core image databasevariable (122), which provide a respective output of CIDF data or CIDVdata to the processor (101) responsive thereto. The linked imagedatabase data is loaded into the CIDV (122) as part of an initializationprocess in this architecture, so that the linked image database andlinked database index thereafter provide the necessary additionalmapping, in addition to the image mapping (126), necessary to providefor an integrated operation for each video game for a family of relatedgames.

Referring to FIG. 2, one embodiment of the processing flow andmethodology associated with one aspect of the present invention is asshown in FIG. 1E illustrated. The process starts at (210), and gamecontrol logic processes the data to generate a video game playresponsive to the user input, up to the point where the game requests areward image at step (220). Proceeding to step (230) the image-mapperlooks up the linked database index in the linked image database. Adecision is made at step (240) as to whether the linked database indexis in the core image database fixed address space. At (241) decision ismade that “yes” and at step (245) the image in the CIDF is obtained.From here, processing proceeds to integrate the image obtained into theaudio/visual presentation of the video game at step (260) and returns tothe video game at step (270) whereafter the process ends at (280).Alternatively, if at step (240), it is determined that the linkeddatabase index is not in the CIDF address space, at step (242), then asecond decision is made at step (250) as to whether the linked databaseindex is in the core image database variable address space. If “yes”,processing proceeds at step (255) to get the image from the CIDV andproceeds at step (256) to step (260) to actually integrate the imagedata into the audio/visual presentation of the video game, whereafterprocessing continues to return the video game at step (270) and theintegration ends at step (280). Alternatively, if the linked databaseindex is not in the CIDV address space, then processing returns to thegame at step (270) and the image mapping and linking ends at step (280).As illustrated, FIG. 2 correlates to the illustrated embodiment of FIG.1E. It is to be understood that the equivalent process flow can beutilized for the other embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D.

Referring to FIG. 3, a mapping of the hardware elements of FIGS. 1A-E iscorrelated to the actual stored elements locations in the physicalarchitecture to the logical architecture. As illustrated in FIG. 3, theprocessing system (101) is further comprised of a CPU, RAM, ROM and I/O.The I/O is coupled to provide output the display (140) to provide anaudio/visual presentation, to an input controller (110) to providecoupling of user input stimulus back to the processing system (101), andto a secondary storage (130) to provide coupling of disk, CD (compactdisc), digital video disk (DVD), flashRAM, EPROM, ROM, or other storagemeans. The processing system ROM, RAM, and the secondary storage providethe necessary locations for maintaining the core game applicationsoftware (125) and associated image mapping logic (126), the CID-F (121)and CID-V (122), and one or more sets of LID/LDI (123/124). Asillustrated in FIG. 3, a first set of LID and LDIs (123A and 123B) areillustrated comprising LID Set 1 with associated LDI 1, LID Set 2, withassociated LDI 2, and LID Set 3, with associated LDI 3.

As an example, LIDs may be related to rewards such as music videos ormovie trailers, or film clips, or audio clips, and may also be new audiovisual imagery for background play unrelated to rewards to change theappearance of the underlying core game. Additionally as shown in FIG. 3,a second set of LID/LDI (123B/124B), which can be different set fordifferent member of the family. These can be provided on separatemediums, such as providing the CGAS (125), IM (126), CIDF (121), CIDV(122), on a core CD, and providing update RAMs, ROMs, or CDs for eachlinked image data and linked data index set. Alternatively, all of thecore elements can be included on a single CD which also has one or moreLID/LDIs, and each CD provided with a different set of LID/LDIs tocreate a separate member of the family which stands alone. Additionally,LID/LDIs can be provided via Internet or otherwise.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations andmodifications may be effected without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation withrespect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended orshould be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appendedclaims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.

1. A video game system for providing a display presentation, the systemcomprising: core game application logic for providing video game logicassociated with a video game and a respective display presentationtherefor as associated with the video game, Core Image Database (CID)comprising a core set of video image data and audio image data in astructure comprising a Core Image Database Fixed portion (CIDF) and aCore Image Database Variable (CIDV) portion, and an image-mapper forproviding control for managing and selecting of video image data andaudio image data from a combination of the CIDF portion and the CIDVportion, to provide all content needed to provide the displaypresentation, responsive to the core game application logic.
 2. Thesystem as in claim 1, wherein the CIDV is comprised at least in part oflogical association with a defined area in the display presentation forinsertion of a visual image; and wherein said image-mapper providescontrol for managing and selecting of linked video image data for adefined video image, to provide all content needed to provide thedisplay presentation, responsive to the core game application logic andto the CIDV for insertion of the defined video image into the definedarea.
 3. The system as in claim 1, further comprising: a Linked ImageDatabase (LID), providing at least one of variable audio image data andvariable video image data, wherein the image-mapper provides forreplacement of at least one of the video image data and the audio imagedata from the CID, as otherwise associated with the video game, with theat least one of the variable audio image data and the variable videoimage data from the LID, while retaining the video game logic asassociated with the video game.
 4. The system as in claim 3, whereinsaid LID has an associated Linked Databases Index (LDI) utilized by theimage-mapper to integrate a combination of the CID and the LID.
 5. Thesystem as in claim 4, wherein there is a plurality of LIDs; and whereineach of said LIDs has an associated LDI utilized by the image-mapper tointegrate a combination of the CID and the respective LID to provide anintegrated video game with an associated integrated displaypresentation.
 6. The system as in claim 4, wherein the respective LIDand the LDI are provided as stored content separate from the CID.
 7. Thesystem as in claim 6, wherein the stored content is provided on anon-volatile storage medium.
 8. The system as in claim 7, wherein thenon-volatile storage medium is, at least, one of; a CD (compact disk), aDVD, semiconductor memory, and a hard disk.
 9. The system as in claim 5,wherein the LIDs and the LDI are utilized by the image-mapper tointegrate a combination of the CIDF and the LID to create therepresentative display presentation uniquely for each of thecombinations.
 10. The system as in claim 4, wherein the LID isrepresentative of at least one of a reward, an advertisement, asubstitute character, additional scenery, weapons, clothing, vehicles,music, music video, dance video, exercise video, movie trailers,animated short, an interactive performance of a user input based musiccomposition performance, a change of at least one color in the displaypresentation of the video game, and at least one of new audio, video andaudiovisual content utilized in providing a display presentation. 11.The system as in claim 2, wherein the defined area is displayed with adefault presentation responsive to no associated linked image data beingpresent.
 12. The system as in claim 2, wherein the wherein the CIDV isselectively updated via online linkage for associating the CIDV portionwith the linked video image.
 13. (canceled)
 14. The system as in claim4, wherein the LDI provides for a mapping index defining the mapping ofthe LID into the CIDV portion.
 15. The system as in 14, wherein the LIDis coupled to the system via online linkage to provide for onlineintegration and mapping of the LID into the CIDV portion responsive tothe LDI.
 16. The system as in claim 15, wherein the core applicationlogic selectively updates via the online linkage substituting the CIDVportion with the LID responsive to the LDI.
 17. The system as in claim16, wherein basic game rules and game play stays consistent with achange in the display presentation responsive to the substituting. 18.The system as in claim 16, wherein basic game rules and game play staysconsistent before and after the substituting, with a change in thedisplay presentation of providing at least one of new audio, video andaudiovisual content in the display presentation responsive to thesubstituting and to the core game logic.
 19. The system as in claim 18,wherein the at least one of new audio, video and audiovisual content inthe display presentation is, at least, one of: a reward, anadvertisement, a substitute character, additional scenery, weapons,clothing, and vehicles.
 20. (canceled)
 21. (canceled)
 22. The system asin claim 19, wherein the reward is an interactive performance of auser-created music composition provided by at least one third partyperformer.
 23. The system as in claim 19, wherein the reward is utilizedto facilitate music education.
 24. The system as in claim 1, wherein atleast some of the video image data and audio image data are grouped intoone of game play content and reward content; and wherein the displaypresentation is provided responsive to at least one of the game playcontent and the reward content.
 25. (canceled)
 26. The system as inclaim 24, wherein the display presentation is provided responsive to thegame play content until a reward threshold is reached, and wherein thedisplay presentation is at least in part provided responsive to thereward content, for at least a minimum defined period of time,responsive to the reward threshold being reached.
 27. The system as inclaim 24, wherein the reward content is comprised of at least one ofmusic videos, movie trailers, television commercials, advertisements, anaudiovisual presentation, an audio presentation, a video presentation,and a change in game play appearance.
 28. The system as in claim 1,wherein the CIDV can be utilized by and among a family of a plurality ofinterchangeable Liked Image Databases (LID)s to provide a plurality ofvideo games all with a common family core game operability and identityand each with at least in part different appearance in the displaypresentation responsive to the respective LID.
 29. The system as inclaim 1, further comprising: means for utilizing the CIDV to change atleast a pad of underlying audiovisual imagery associated with game play.30. The system as in claim 3, further comprising: means for utilizingthe LID to provide additional content beyond the content normallyassociated with the display presentation of the video game. 31.(canceled)
 32. The system as in claim 1, wherein the CIDV portion isassociated with a change in the audiovisual game imagery normallyassociated with the display presentation of the video game. 33.(canceled)
 34. The system as in claim 4, wherein integration of said LIDinto the display presentation creates an associated new appearance videogame responsive to the video game logic of the core game applicationlogic.
 35. The system as in claim 4, wherein there are a plurality ofseparate ones of said LIDs each structured for integration into thedisplay presentation of the video game, responsive to the video gamelogic of the core game application logic, and wherein each of saidplurality of said LIDs creates an associated new appearance to thedisplay presentation of the video game responsive to the core gameapplication logic.
 36. The system as in claim 1, wherein the core gameapplication logic is utilized to support a common identity gamestructure supportive of a common single development environmentutilizing core game application software with the image-mapper and theCIDF portion, utilized in conjunction with the CIDV portion to provideall content needed to provide the display presentation, wherein said CIDprovides a CIDV index defining mapping into the CIDV portion to providefor integration of a Linked Image Database (LID) providing at least oneof LID video image data and LID audio image data utilized in the displaypresentation.
 37. The system as in 36, wherein there are a plurality ofthe LIDs, wherein the system provides for a family of a plurality ofvideo game entertainment products, each of the plurality utilizing thecommon identity game structure supportive of a common single developmentenvironment with each of the plurality utilizing a different one of theplurality of the LIDs responsive to the CIDV index.
 38. The system as inclaim 37, wherein for each said LID, a CIDV index is provided definingthe mapping of the LID into the CIDV portion to provide all contentneeded to provide the display presentation.
 39. The system as in 38,wherein there are a plurality of the LIDs, wherein the system providesfor providing a family of a plurality of vjdeo game entertainmentproducts, each of the plurality utilizing the common identity gamestructure supportive of a common single development environment witheach of the plurality utilizing a different one of the plurality of theLIDs responsive to the CIDV index.
 40. The system as in claim 38,wherein the system has a processing system including local memory,wherein the CIDV index for the LID is loaded into the local memory ofthe system to facilitate selectively mapping the LID into the CIDVportion as needed to provide content needed to provide the displaypresentation.
 41. (canceled)
 42. The system as in claim 1, wherein thecore application logic is comprised of core game application softwarestructured for a target genre of video game.
 43. The system as in claim42, wherein the target genre is, at least, one of: musical education,role-playing game, action game, mystery game, war-game, dance game,sports game, vehicle driving game and simulator game.
 44. (canceled) 45.The system as in claim 4, wherein the image-mapper logic controls theselection from the CIDF portion, the CIDV portion and the LID to provideall content needed to provide the display presentation.
 46. (canceled)47. (canceled)
 48. (canceled)
 49. The system as in claim 4, wherein amapping index is provided by the LID, wherein LID) variables each havinga LED variable name are provided within the LID and are logicallyindexed in the mapping index according to the LID variable names,wherein a pointer provides a CID location to associate with a respectiveone of the LID variable names in the mapping index.
 50. The system as inclaim 49, wherein the mapping index provides for a mapping from the CIDto the respective one of the LID variable names to provide forselectively obtaining at least one of audio, video and audiovisualcontent from the LID for use by the image-mapper logic for integrationand use in providing the presentation output.
 51. A method for providinga display presentation for a video game, the method comprising:providing video game logic for providing a respective displaypresentation associated with the video game; providing a Core ImageDatabase (CID) comprising a core set of video image data and audio imagedata in a structure comprising a Core Image Database Fixed portion(CIDF) and a core Image Database Variable portion (CIDV); and providingimage-mapper control for managing and selecting of at least one of videoimage data and audio image data from a combination of the CIDF portionand the CIDV portion, to provide all content needed by the video gamelogic to provide the display presentation.
 52. (canceled)
 53. The methodas in claim 51, further comprising: providing a Linked Image Database(LID), comprising at least one of variable audio image data and variablevideo image data, and wherein the providing image-mapper controlprovides for replacement of at least one of the video image data andaudio image data from the combination of the CIDF portion and the CIDV,as otherwise associated with the video game, with at least one of therespective variables video image data and the respective variable audioimage data from the LID, while retaining the video game logic thereforas associated with the video game.
 54. The method as in claim 53,wherein said LID has an associated Linked Databases Index (LDI) utilizedby the image-mapper to integrate a combination of the CID and the LID.55. A video interactive entertainment system comprising: a core imagedatabase (CID) comprising video image data and audio image data, andfurther comprising a fixed portion (CIDF) and a variable portion (CIDV)which together define the complete image content for a presentationassociated with interactive video entertainment; mapping means forproviding control for managing and selecting certain ones of the videoimage data and the audio image data from the Core Image Database (CID);and core interactive entertainment application logic providinginteractive video entertainment logic utilized for providing thepresentation responsive to the mapping means.
 56. The system as in claim55, further comprising: at least one Linked Image Database (LID)providing at least one of variable audio image data and variable visualimage data presentation utilized in conjunction with the CID to providefor update of the image content for at least a portion of thepresentation.
 57. The system as in claim 56, wherein there is aplurality of the LIDs, each providing a different interactiveentertainment presentation, and with all LEDs sharing a common logic andresponse utilizing a common application control logic.
 58. The system asin claim 56, wherein the update of the image content is comprised of atleast one of music videos, movie trailers, television commercials, videoadvertisements, and wherein the reward content is linked and updatedinto the system.
 59. The system as in claim 56, wherein the LID isutilized by the mapping means to integrate a combination of the CID andthe LID into the core application software to provide the presentation.60. The system as in claim 56, wherein the LID is comprised of at leastone of a reward, an advertisement, a substitute character, additionalscenery, weapons, clothing, vehicles, a specialty video and movietrailers for various types of movies.
 61. An entertainment systemcomprising: a controller comprising a processor, memory, and userinterface, and means for providing a display presentation output; CoreEntertainment Application Software (CEAS); a Core Image Database (CID) awith Core Image Database Fixed (CIDF) portion and a Core Image DatabaseVariable (CIDV) portion; an associative image-mapper with a CIDF portionand a CIDV portion, wherein the controller is responsive to the CEAS andthe CID responsive to the image-mapper to selectively integrate fromboth of the CIDF portion and CIDV portion of the CID to provide adisplay presentation.
 62. The system as in claim 61, wherein the systemoperates to provide at least one of a live-action movie presentation, ananimated movie presentation, a video game system, and an interactivevideo entertainment system.
 63. The system as in claim 61, wherein thevideo game system operates to provide a video game presentationproviding at least one of musical education, role-playing game, actiongame, mystery, war-game, dance game, sports game, vehicle driving gameand simulator game.
 64. The system as in claim 61, further comprising:means for providing for coupling of a Linked Image Database (LID),comprising at least one of variable audio image data and variable videoimage data, wherein the image-mapper provides for associatively mappingthe CID variable portion with the LID, and wherein the controller isresponsive to the CEAS to provide a display presentation responsive atleast in part to the LID.
 65. The system as in claim 61, wherein onlinelinkage is provided for the system to provide for online updating of theCIDV.
 66. The system as in claim 64, wherein online linkage is providedfor the system to provide for online updating of the LID.
 67. The systemas in claim 65, wherein accounting is provided for the updates.
 68. Thesystem as in claim 61, further comprising: a family of entertainmentproducts, utilizing a common core of the CEAS and the CIDF; and whereineach of the entertainment products of the family utilizes a differentCIDV portion.
 69. The system as in claim 68, wherein audio-visualimagery and rewards change within the family, and wherein basic visualappearance rules and interaction remain consistent within the family.70. The system as in claim 61, wherein online linkage is provided forthe system to provide for online updating of the CIDV.
 71. The system asin claim 61, wherein the video game system operates to provide a videogame presentation wherein the CIDV is, at least, one of a reward, anadvertisement, a substitute character, additional scenery, weapons,clothing, vehicles, music, music video, dance video, exercise video,movie trailers, animated short, an interactive performance of a userinput based music composition performance, a change of at least onecolor in the display presentation of the video game, and at least one ofnew audio, video and audiovisual content utilized in providing a displaypresentation.
 72. The video game system, as in claim 61, wherein theCEAS provides video interactive entertainment logic and a respectivedisplay presentation therefor as associated with the video game; whereinthe CID comprises a video image data and audio image data in a structurewithin the CIDF portion and the CIDV portion; and wherein the mappingmeans provides control for managing and selecting of the video imagedata and the audio image data from a combination of the CIDF portion andthe CDV portion, to provide the display presentation, responsive to thecore game application logic.
 73. The system as in claim 72, furthercomprised of a Linked Image Database (LID) providing variable audioimage data and variable video image data; wherein the image-mapperprovides for utilization in the display presentation of at least one ofthe video image data and the audio image data from the LID in place ofat least one of the CIDV portion.
 74. The system as in claim 73, whereinsaid LED has an associated Linked Database Index (LDI) utilized by theimage-mapper to integrate a combination of the CID and the LID.
 75. Thesystem as in claim 74, wherein the LID is utilized to transition betweenactive play segments of the display presentation for a video game.
 76. Avideo entertainment system comprising: a processing subsystem; a userinterface and display generation subsystem; a specific core gameapplication software written for a target genre of game, wherein saidcore game application software is further comprised of image-m-Dapperlogic which defines specific locations in the core game applicationsoftware utilizing image database content, wherein the image-mapperlogic controls the selection process from the image database content,wherein the image database content is comprised of at least one of afixed portion and a variable portion; at least one Linked Image Database(LID) and a Linked Databases Index (LDI) associated with the at leastone LID; and wherein the image-mapper provides for inclusion of content,as necessary, from the LID, associatively indexed to the image databasevariable portion, utilized in conjunction with the fixed portion of theimage database, to provide all image content for a video gamepresentation.
 77. The method as in claim 51, further comprising:grouping at least some of the video image data and the audio image datainto one of game play content and reward content, and providing thedisplay presentation responsive to at least one of the game play contentand the reward content.
 78. The method as in claim 77, furthercomprising: providing the display presentation responsive to the gameplay content until a reward threshold is reached, and providing thedisplay presentation is at least in part responsive to the rewardcontent, for a defined period of time responsive to the reward thresholdbeing reached.
 79. The method as in claim 77, wherein the reward contentis comprised of at least one of a redeemable form of: a reward, anadvertisement, a substitute character, additional scenery, weapons,clothing, vehicles, music, music video, dance video, exercise video,movie trailers, animated short, an interactive performance of a userinput based music composition performance, a change of at least onecolor in the display presentation of the video game, and at least one ofnew audio, video and audiovisual content utilized in providing a displaypresentation.
 80. The method as in claim 53, wherein the LID isrepresentative of at least one of: a reward, an advertisement, asubstitute character, additional scenery, weapons, clothing, vehicles,music, music video, dance video, exercise video, movie trailers,animated short, an interactive performance of a user input based musiccomposition performance, a change of at least one color in the displaypresentation of the video game, and at least one of new audio, video andaudiovisual content utilized in providing a display presentation. 81.The method as in claim 54, further comprising: coupling the LID to thevideo game via online linkage, and providing for online integration andmapping of the LID into the CIDV portion responsive to the providing theimage-mapper control.
 82. The method as in claim 81, further comprising:selectively updating said LID via the online linkage, and substitutingat least part of the CIDV portion with the LID responsive to theproviding the image-mapper control.
 83. The method as in claim 82,further comprising: maintaining basic game rules and game play whileproviding a change in the display presentation responsive to thesubstituting.
 84. The method as in claim 82, further comprising:maintaining consistent audio, video and audio-visual content in thevideo game presentation before and after the substituting; whileproviding a change in, at least one of: basic game rules and basic gameplay, responsive to the substituting.
 85. The method as in claim 83,further comprising: maintaining basic game rules and game playconsistent before and after the substituting, while providing a changein a video game display presentation of at least one of new audio, videoand audiovisual content responsive to the substituting.
 86. The methodas in claim 85, wherein the CIDV provides for a change in the displaypresentation comprising, at least one of: a reward, an advertisement, asubstitute character, additional scenery, weapons, clothing, vehicles,music, music video, dance video, exercise video, movie trailers,animated short, an interactive performance of a user input based musiccomposition performance, a change of at least one color in the displaypresentation of the video game, and at least one of new audio, video andaudiovisual content utilized in providing a display presentation. 87.The method as in claim 86, wherein the interactive performance of amusic composition is provided by at least one third party performer. 88.The method as in claim 83, further comprising: utilizing the reward tofacilitate music education.
 89. The system as in claim 2, wherein thedefined area is an otherwise empty space in the display presentationinto which a secondary video image is integrated.